WHEN former boyband member Andy Scott-Lee first stood in front of the Pop Idol judges and sang he sparked off a torrent of controversy.

The judges were unsure about whether he should continue and Pete Waterman made it clear his decision was based on loyalties towards Andy's sister Lisa, the ex-Steps singer.

However, the 23-year-old got through to the final seven, and before he was kicked off the programme 10 days ago, he was the bookies' favourite to win and success looked assured.

But as Andy was winning the public's hearts every week, factions on the internet were launching a virulent hate campaign.

The Sun newspaper has said it believes this hate campaign is the reason the North Walian singer was booted out but Andy himself is not too sure.

"I have not even looked at this supposed hate campaign but I know some people have been getting a bit annoyed about the fact that I was in 3SL.

"But I didn't even know about that until I came out of the house.

"We were pretty much sheltered in the house and they wouldn't tell me.

"Though one time in the house I found out I was favourite to be booted out two hours before I was supposed to go on stage. That was a bit strange but it just made me more determined to perform well."

Ironically, before he had a Top 20 hit with his brothers he was in one of the first reality bands.

"That was four years ago," he said, "on GMTV when they were putting together a boy band.

"I was one of the final four that got into the group, it was a public vote and I was there with Will Young and Lee from Blue. It didn't really take off but vocally everyone was really good."

But he is not under the impression that his former pop experience gave him an advantage over the other finalists.

He said, "I don't think I had an unfair advantage in the final as everyone else in the 10 had some experience of recording or performing. I was just fortunate that I had more in the past."

While Andy has managed to be oblivious to the comments surrounding his Pop Idol experience some members of his family were pre-empting a backlash against the young singer.

"Everyone in the family, except Lisa, didn't want me to go into the competition. They believed in me but they were worried about the reaction that I would get."

Now that he is out, he says his family were just proud at how far he went in the competition and that he proved he could sing.

But while it is assumed that the Pop Idol entrants are only in to win, Andy is adamant that it didn't cross his mind.

"It couldn't really have gone much better. It didn't cross my mind to win, I just entered the competition to see how far I could get."

But he will admit that the real reason he went to the Manchester audition was due to a promise he made his sister, pop singer Lisa Scott-Lee.

"It was all my sister Lisa. She said to me 'I want you to go into the competition' when we were out one night and I was a bit drunk, and I kind of stupidly agreed."

After a few calls, Lisa got him an audition in Manchester and a month later television audiences saw a nervous-looking Scott-Lee perform in front of the judges, including Pete Waterman and Foxy.

"If you look at my first audition it was not great but the reason for my nerves was not singing in front of the judges.

"I was used to singing but so many things had happened in the build-up before it."

At that time, Andy's band, 3SL, of which he was a third, with brothers Steve and Ant, was still going, though they couldn't find a record deal after being dropped by their original company.

Andy took his time to tell family members about his audition, as he was worried about their reaction.

"I hadn't told my brothers and I lived with that for two weeks. Every day and every night I was thinking I needed to tell them that I have the audition.

"I knew it would be hard for everyone but they took it really well. They had other things on as well, we had not been signed for a year as 3SL and we tried to get another deal but it's quite hard when you're dropped."

Now, the 23-year-old is dedicated to making it in the music world.

In his view, the setbacks and criticism are only going to make him stronger.

"I always wanted to do it, I saw Lisa doing it and for her to achieve what she has done shows that anyone can do it.

"I still have got a long way to go, but I have been trying since I was 17, ever since I was allowed to come down to London.

"I am really devoted to the business: it's not easy, but I believe I can succeed."

He hopes to bring a little bit of magic to the pop world, and is now writing and creating demos in order to land a deal.

"I've got my own little studio, it's the size of a CD player and I am always using it - it's my favourite gadget."

His determination to succeed in music means his girlfriend Michelle Heaton from Liberty X might have to wait a while before he pops the question.

"She is great and gave me a lot of support as she has been through it all herself. But though I love her - I love her to bits - thoughts of marriage will have to wait.

"I've just got to concentrate on this now. I just want to be big. I want to have huge hits and albums, and as long as I am successful I'll be happy."

But if fame comes knocking again this time round he will treat it more cautiously.

"I'm really not used to it. I know I have had a bit of fame before but I am finding this time more bizarre.

"In the band I never got carried away, it went huge but it didn't last for a long time. When you have had it and it goes, then it's not a nice feeling."

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